Dental plugger.



No. 635,893. Patented Oct. 3|, I899.

W. A. INGLEHART.

DENTAL PLUGGER.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1898.)

(No Model.) Iv

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WALTER A. IN GLEl-IAR-T, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

' DENTAL PLUGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,893, dated October31, 1899.

Application filed November 14, 1898. Serial No. 696,377. (N0 m del- ToaZl whom it may concern/.-

Be itknown that I, WALTER A. INGLEHART, a subject of Her Majesty theQueen of Great Britain, residing at Philadelphia, county ofPhiladelphia,and State of Pennsylvania,have invented Improvements inDental Pluggers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dental pluggers, my object beingto provide simple and efficient means for actuating the hammer toimpinge the spindle, improved means for adjusting the spring actuatingthe hammer, and improvements in details of construction especiallyadapted to utilize the maximum interior space of the cylinder for theaccommodation of the hammer, so that the size and efficiency of thehammer maybe increased without increasing the size of the cylinder. Iobtain these objects by the mechanism shown in the accompanyingdrawings, of which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my device,except that the spindle and latch are in perspective. Fig. 2 is a detailView in perspective of the upper portion of the cylinder.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the casin g or surroundingcylinder; 2, the spindle movable longitudinally within and protruding ateach end; 3, the hammer surrounding the spindle and surrounded by thecylinder and longitudinally movable therein.

Into the lower end of the cylinder 1 is threaded the end piece 4,through which protrudes the spindle. At the upper end of said cylinderis secured the end piece 5, through which the spindle may also protrude.The end piece 5 is provided with the circumferential projection orshoulder 6, adapted to engage with the circumferential groove or recess7 in the inner wall of the cylinder. The cylinder is split orlongitudinally slotted at its upper end, as shown in Fig. 2, so that itwill spread sufficiently to permit of snapping the shoulder 6 into therecess 7. Extending downward from the projection 6 is a threadedextension 8 of the piece 5, adapted to carry a threaded nut 9, withprojections extending into the longitudinal slots 10 of the cylinder, sothat as the piece 5 is turned in the cylinder the nut .will ride up anddown to secure the required tension of the spiral spring 11, which islocated within the cylinder and intermediate the nut 9 and hammer 3, oneend of said spring bearing against the hammer and the other end againstthe nut.

Toward the lower end of spindle 2 is a recess 12, into which is securedthe spring-latch 13, provided near its free end with the projection 14,adapted to engage with the lower interior edge of the surrounding hammer3, and extending from the projection 14 to the free end of the latch isa further projection having an inclined surface 15, adapted to engage acorresponding inclined surface 16 on the inner side of the surroundingpiece 4. As the spindle is pushed into the cylinder, the latch carriedthereon having engaged the hammer, as shown in Fig. 1, the inclinedsurfaces of the latch and surrounding piece 4 cooperate to compress thelatch, causing it to release the hammerafter it has been moved therequired distance. The hammer thereupon responding to the actuation ofspring 11 returns to impact the spindle in the manner hereinafterdescribed.- Upon the upper part of the hammer is a plug or projection17, adapted to encounter a projection 18 on the spindle. The plug 17 isthreaded into the top of the hammer and capable of movement therein forthe purpose of adjusting the length of stroke of the hammer. A suitablelock-nut 21 is employed for securing the plug after adjustment. Theprojection 18 is a pin threaded through the spindle and is inserted intothe spindle through an aperture 23 in the hammer, while the spindle issurrounded by the hammer. In case the spindle should not protrudethrough the end pieces, but should end substantially at the point wherethe projection 18 is shown, the plug or projection 17 may encounter thetop of said spindle in the downward movement of said hammer, as abovedescribed, giving the necessary impact to the spindle. After the impactof the hammer upon the spindle its downward movement is finally stoppedby the engagement of the lower end of the hammer with the top of piece4. The spring 19, which surrounds the spindle within the piece 4 andoperates between suitable projections on the spindle and the surroundingpiece, serves to carry the spindle beyond the movement of the hammer tosecure the reengagment of the latch 13 with the hammer. The tip 22serves as a guide for the spindle, as well as a limit to itsspringactuating movement.

The feature of so arranging the spring-latch that its trip projectionshall occupy and move in a recess in the end portion of the case and bedepressed by means seated in such recess is an important one, for thereason that the latch and its depressing device do not in any wayencroach upon the space within the case, but leave said space free forthe reception of the hammer, which can extend down to the end piece. Inthis way without in any way increasing the size of the case I am enabledto materially increase the size and weight of the hammer.

Casing 24, of hard rubber or other suitable material, is adapted to fitsnugly around the cylinder 1,beingheld in place by the shoulders 27 ofthe pieces t and 5. Collars 25 and 26, of similar material, may bethreaded on the end pieces, as shown.

As above stated, if it is only desired to have the spindle protrude fromone end of the cylinder it may terminate at a point substantially wherethe projection 18 is shown. The plug 17 may then be solid and adapted toimpact directly upon the top of the spindle. The end piece 5 may also besolid and may terminate slightly above the shoulder 6, as indicated bydotted line 20 in Fig. 1.

A special advantage of the interior circumferential groove 7 of thecylinder is that when the projection 6 of piece 5 is snapped into thesaid interior groove 7 of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. l, and the hardrubber or other suitable casing 24 is slipped over the cylinder, thelatter is thereby effectually prevented from spreading at the split end,and the consequent accidental disengagement of the end piece 5 isprevented.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a dental plugger, the combination of a spindle, a hammersurrounding the spindle, and a cylinder or case surrounding the hammer,and having an end or nose piece formed with an opening for the spindleand with a recess extending outward from the said opening, of aspring-latch secured at one end portion to the said spindle in a recessthereof, and provided with a projection on its outer side for engagementwith the hammer and also with a further lateral projection arranged tooccupy and move in the recess of the said end or nose piece and means inthe last-named recess to coact with said last-named projection andretract said latch from its engagement with the hammer at the propertime, together with spring means for actuating the spindle to secure thereengagement of said latch and hammer, substantially as specified.

2. In a dental plugger, the combination of a spindle, a hammersurrounding the spindle, and a cylinder or case surrounding the 11ammer,and having an end or nose portion formed with an opening for the spindleand also with a recess extending outwardly from said opening, of aspring-latch secured at one end portion to the said spindle in a recessthereof, and provided with a projection on its outer side for engagementwith the hammer and also with a further lateral projection arranged tooccupy and move in the recess of the said end or nose piece and means inthe last-named recess to coact with said last-named projection andretract said latch from its engagement with the hammer at the propertime, together with spring means for actuating the spindle to secure therengagement of said latch and hammer, spring means for actuating saidhammer, and means for manually adjusting the tension of the same,substantially as specified.

3. In a dental plugger, the combination of a spindle, ahammersurrounding the spindle having a lateral projection, and aninclosing case, means for actuating and tripping the said hammer, and aplug adjustably secured in the end of the hammer, and forming anadjustable contact between the hammer and the lateral projection of thespindle, and whereby the length of the hammer-stroke may be regulated,substantially as specified.

4. In a dental plugger the combination of a cylinder longitudinallyslotted at one end and provided with an interior circumferential groove,an end piece adapted to be inserted in said cylinder having acircumferential shoulder or projection to engage with saidcircumferential groove and an outer member adapted to surround thecylinder to prevent its spreading, substantially as described.

5. In a dental plugger, the combination of a hammer, a spindle, and acase having at one end portion thereof an internal recess offsetlaterally from the spindle, a spring-latch connected with the saidspindle and having an outward lateral projection for engagement with thehammer, and a second lateral projection arranged to occupy and move insaid internal recess together with means in said recess to coact withsaid last-named projection to release the first-nam ed projection fromengagement with the hammer, at the proper time, said recess and thecoacting latch projection being below the hammer-chamber of the casing,substantially as specified.

b. In a dental plugger, the combination of a cylinder longitudinallyslotted at one end, an end piece inserted in the slotted portion of saidcylinder, a circumferential groove-andshoulder connection between saidcylinder and end piece, and an outer member adapted to surround thecylinder to prevent its spreading, substantially as described.

WALTER A. INGLEHART. Witnesses:

JNo. WRIGHT REEVE, JNo. STOKES ADAMS.

